The present invention relates to rebar supports or chairs to support a grid of rebars at an adjusted distance above the bottom of a concrete form prior to concrete pouring.
Known rebar chairs are designed to support a rebar at any position along its length. Such rebar chairs can be accidentally tipped over if the rebar is hit and displaced. This is especially true when the rebars have yet to be tied at their intersections to form a rigid grid.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a rebar chair which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rebar chair capable of supporting a grid of rebars at any one of two levels above the bottom of a concrete form.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rebar chair capable of supporting two grids of rebars in superposed position.
The chair in accordance with the present invention serves to support above the bottom of a concrete form, the intersecting portions of two rebars normal to each other. This chair comprises a unitary member including a body having a top end, four legs downwardly depending from said body and spaced from one another to form a first and a second rebar receiving passage which intersect and are normal to each other, said legs having, lower free ends to rest on said concrete form bottom, the spacing between the legs on each side of said first passage being substantially uniform from said body to said free ends such that said legs are adapted to, closely straddle one of the rebar extending through said first passage, said legs being also adapted to straddle the other one of the rebars simultaneously extending through said second passage.
Preferably, the chair further includes a concave rebar supporting and locating saddle formed by the top end of said body, for simultaneously receiving at least one additional rebar thereon, said saddle being parallel to said second passage.
Preferably, the legs on each side of said second passage flare downwardly so that their spacing progressively increases from said body to said free ends from a spacing smaller to a spacing greater than the uniform spacing between the legs on each side of said first passage.
Preferably, each leg forms a first and a second inner, flat side face normal to each other, respectively defining said first and second passages.
Preferably, the lower part of said body forms a first and a second pair of crotches between said legs, said first pair of crotches having a semi-cylindrical surface merging with said first side faces and forming the top of said first passage, said second pair of crotches having an inverted V-shape surface merging with said second side faces and forming the top of said second passage.
The invention is also directed to the combination of the above defined chair with two intersecting rebars respectively extending through said first and second passages and a device for maintaining said intersecting portions above the bottom of a concrete form and below said body. This combination may include a third rebar supported by the saddle. This device is either a fastening wire suspending said intersecting portions from said chair or an auxiliary chair underlying and supporting said intersecting portions and located between said four legs, said auxiliary chair resting on the bottom of said concrete form.